Elijah's p.o.v

I had now been lying in bed for hours and still unable to sleep Brax was getting restless, it was getting harder keeping him at bay, if i didn’t find my mate soon i was scared i would go feral. Mind you there are sone who would say i was already feral with the way i did business. I knew my reputation around our kind heartless, ruthless a monster because i killed my own father, i never wanted to be Alpha it was never something i coveted that was my brother Dane the sly bastard did everything my father wanted but i drew the line when our dad decided he was going to rape and mark his own daughter, that was the night our lives changed forever i killed dad and i would do it again and again if it saved my adorable little sister Chloe i didn’t expect Jasper or Felix to follow me when i got kicked out of the pack because of Dane’s lies about me being power hungry. We wondered for a while staying in neutral zone that changed when Felix met Sarah and Chloe met Jacob, Jacob’s Alpha wouldn’t allow Chloe to join the pack because of my reputation, it was stupid because the pack was on the verge of bankruptcy and i had money, but he continued to refuse in the end i had to challenge the Alpha because Jacob didn’t want to leave his little sister i could understand that she was only seven roaming from neutral zone to neutral zone was not a life for a kid. I ran my hand over my face it was clear there would be no sleep tonight, i threw on some shorts and made my way through the house it was only six now which was why i was shocked when i opened the front door to discover Laura’s car had gone, i hated the damn thing a volks-wagon beetle yellow with daisies painted all over it, it wasn’t like it was even a new model it was an old one but she refused to replace it at first i thought it was because of money but when she bought the dowry i knew that was not the case, i didn’t run the pack by the old traditions i didn’t want the dowry but she insisted she pay her part to the pack. When we did the investigation on her and her sister it was really hard to find anything out about them, it was like they didn’t really have a past at all, but her sister was an amazing artist some one i had become quite a fan of, i had managed to get hold of a couple of her pieces but it was so rare to find any.

I was looking forward to seeing my commissioned piece of a wolf and it’s pup.

I took a deep breath the air was fresh the dew adorned the lawn, leaves and flowers, i walked to the tree line and kicked off my trainers removed my shorts putting them in the tree and let Brax free, we ran and ran enjoying the morning coming to life, he hunted a few rabbits but even that was starting to not be enough.

Making my way back to the house i heard Laura’s damn beetle coming down the drive i walked out the tree line as she parked up, as she got out the car she saw me instantly bowing her head “Alpha” she said i fucking hated her saying that when we were home, i didn’t matter how many times i had said to call me Elijah.

“Laura we’ve had this discussion we are at home, please call me Elijah you are going to be my sister in three weeks” she looked at me i could still see the fear in her eyes.

“yes Elijah” she attempted a smile as she spoke. It was a start i guess we walked to the front door together “where have you been this early?” i asked her a smile enveloped her whole face now, in that moment i could see what Jasper meant when he said she was warm “it’s my sisters birthday” she replied then jumped back “oh i have muffins she made” but she was lackadaisical too at times i couldn’t help but smile at her, but as soon as she picked up the tin from the car it smelt like heaven, which was unusual for me i didn’t really do sweet things.

“they smell delicious” i said opening the door to find Jasper at the bottom of the stairs scratching the back of his head and smiling as soon as he saw us “where’d you go?” Laura smiled walked up and gave him a quick kiss “sisters” he nodded before she ran into the kitchen, then he looked at me again concern filling his eyes “couldn’t sleep again” i shook my head

“EJ what are we going to do” he was the only one who knew my struggles he was the beta of the pack and my brother i kept nothing from him, the trouble was i didn’t know

“what i am already doing fighting it” he looked at me deeply this time “maybe you should take a chosen mate” i looked at him he already knew the answer before i had even spoken “NO” he out his arm around my shoulder as we walked into the kitchen the smell of bacon,eggs and coffer permeated the air, i gave Chloe a kiss on the top of her head as she placed a plate down in front of Jacob “are you resting enough” she slapped my shoulder “i am pregnant not an invalid” she said laughing now sitting beside Jacob. Jasper sat down and Laura came to the table with two large plates of muffins Blueberry ones and lemon and poppyseed my mouth watered just from the smell.

“where did you buy those?” Caleb asked pointing to the muffins she looked at him “i didn’t buy them, there are what my sister made this morning” she answered so proud of her sister. I knew they weren’t true sisters but there was a story there, i had heard a little from Jasper saying that Violet had saved her life. Stranger things have bought people together.

He snatched one from the plate and took a bite, he was our main cook at home, and a qualified chef it took a lot to impress him but she clearly had because he took one of the other flavours “what else does she bake?” he asked Laura

“anything she fancies, bread, cakes and pies, she has started giving her bakes to the village store now I’m not there to eat them” she answered Jasper put some food on her plate along with a muffin, i watched as the muffins disappearing and couldn’t not grab some i took two of each time making everyone look at me aghast “what?” i snapped

“you don’t usually eat sweet things” Chloe said

“so, i thought i should try as they are Laura’s sisters” making Laura beam and Jasper giving me a nod thinking i had done it for him, i wasn’t going to elaborate on what i was feeling, breakfast was it’s usual filled with life, love and laughter. During Breakfast Felix and Sarah joined us from their night shift Sarah’s at the clinic and Felix Guard duty, i looked around the table and smiled to myself for a heartless bastard i had a warm loving family.

“Caleb will the cake be finished by the time Jasper and i leave for work?” Laura asked him

“what time?” he inquired

“about an hour, i want to be there for the delivery” that perked my interest “why?” he looked at me before answering “Laura seems to think someone is milking from the deliveries” i looked at her i didn’t mean to make her squirm in her seat “explain” i said

“we’ve had to increase our order” she answered i looked at Jasper “do you want me to go over the accounts” i asked

“please” he answered i saw his relief he hated doing them, plus i could see discrepancies better than he could

“i don’t like the thought of one of our own stealing from us” Chloe said quietly, i had to admit i didn’t either but i wasn’t going to let it slide either, my pack didn’t want for anything we had bought land and built houses for them, repaired buildings, bought woodland which the old Alpha had sold off, refurbished the older buildings made a descent training ground and gym.

“no then it will not be ready” Caleb finally answered Laura’s question, her smile dropped a little more

“i will have to drop it off, what time do you need it for?”

“before nine please”

I finished my second plate of bacon and eggs and was on my second cup of coffee when i tried the blueberry muffin, it was delicious i hadn’t tasted anything quite as good before, i looked at the blueberry muffin in surprise “good isn’t it?” Laura asked with a smile i smiled back and nodded it was, i wonder what the secret was because i was damn sure that muffins didn’t usually taste this good.

“when were kids Violet use to want a little bakery, until the accident happened” she said as her smile slipped, i didn’t like it had but it gave me an opportunity the ask some questions “accident?” i asked inquisitively i looked at Jasper who was just as eager to hear what she had to say

“Violet saved me when i got shot” everyone looked at her is shock, Jasper hadn’t wanted to tell the others until Laura was ready and i loved my brother enough to respect his wishes.

“who shot you??” Chloe Barked out her mother hen showing, but Laura brushed it off “it was along time ago on my first shift, thank god Violet was there she protected me, even though it cost her too much”

“would you like to talk about it?” Chloe asked softly trying to encourage it out of her but Laura closed down instantly “not my story to tell”

“part of it is” bless Chloe she could be like a dog with a bone when she grasps onto something, “Laura” she encouraged making her look around the room and shrink into Jaspers side

He then encouraged her to speak “it’s ok babe, this is your family now too” he smiled down at her

“it was the first full moon after my eighteenth birthday, Violet had looked into how to help me, it had always been the two of us since the care home, well until we got fostered by a wonderful family, but we didn’t tell them about me, we were terrified in case they didn’t want me.

But they both died eight months before, Violet found some female rogues and asked them to explain it to her and anything else they deemed i might need in the future, even though Violet and i are the same age she has always been the one to look after me, i suppose it was because she had been at the kids home from birth and i came and went a few times before my parents died. Anyway she drove me to the woods saying she thought it might be safer for everyone as we didn’t know how i would be, she stayed with me even though some of the women had told her i could attack her she never left, i stripped like i was told and sat waiting, it hurt like crazy i hadn’t expected that kind of pain but Violet held me the whole time my bones popped into position but just as i turned i got shot in the hip, then the leg Violet shouted at the men for shooting her dog but they had watched and knew what i was aiming at me again Violet scooped me up as she did i got shot in the shoulder, i hadn’t realised Violet had also been shot she never once let on, she hid me in some brush and went back to draw them away from me, i felt like hours i had waited for Violet so i crept out from where i was hiding and began trying to find her, i had shifted back before i found” she stopped there we all waited for the rest to come but it didn’t happen nothing

“Laura what happened then?” Chloe asked

But Laura looked a her with Tears in her eyes “that is not my story to tell, but it is my fault that My sister is the way she is”

“i don’t think you can blame yourself for that” Jasper spoke she shook her head vehemently he took her face in his hands “honey that’s what family’s do for each other”

“you don’t understand because you’ve only ever seen Violet quiet shy and reserved, she use to be vibrant and excepting. He spoke again “i am sure it isn’t as bad as you think, she loves you”

She turned on him it was the first time i had seen her wolf jump forward “you know nothing of what she suffered for us” Rosie growled out Jasper looked at me placing his hand on Laura’s shoulder trying to calm her. She removed his hand and walked from the kitchen “where had that come from?” Felix asked breaking the atmosphere.